Refill Rather Than Replace Ink Cartridges

DENVER (CBS4) - More people are refilling ink cartridges rather than replacing them and saving at the same time.

CBS4 goes through one million pages of paper per year. That means the station could spend up to $10,000 on ink. But even for those using printers at home the cost to keep them stocked with ink is sizable.

In the Stember house there is a pair printers dueling for duty.

"We are constantly using printers," Ron Stember said.

Ron and his wife Marilyn both work from home, which means their printers both work full time as well. That's why they recycle rather than replace their ink cartridges.

"It's about half price to take these to Costco," Ron said.

On any given day they have a plastic bag full of old cartridges to refill.

"To replace a laser cartridge it varies from machine but it slides in and slides out," Dave Waldman with Re-Ink said.

Waldman runs Re-Ink, a local company that does just what its name implies -- all by mail.

"Customers go on my website or contact me directly, they place an order, I respond within an hour, ships to their door, it's usually a day or two," Waldman said.

He also sends the customers a prepaid mailing label to all allow customers to send back their used cartridges. It's easy and cost effective.

"They don't effect printer's warranty, they work just as well, and a cost saving of about 35 to 40 percent is a significant amount," Waldman said.

His refilled ink cartridges come with a money-back guarantee.

For more information visit www.reinkonline.com.